The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for monitoring emotional states.
Published PCT Application WO 97/01984 (PCT/IL96/00027) describes a method for effecting biofeedback regulation of at least one physiological variable characteristic of a subject""s emotional state, including the steps of monitoring at least one speech parameter characteristic of the subject""s emotional state so as to produce an indication signal, and using the indication signal to provide the subject with an indication of the at least one physiological variable. A system permits the method to be carried out in standalone mode or via the telephone line in which case the indication signal may be derived at a location remote from the subject. Information relating to the subject""s emotional state can be conveyed vocally to a remote party or textually through the Internet, and then processed as required.
Published European Patent Application No. 94850185.3 (Publication No. 306 664 537 A2) describes a method and arrangement for determining stresses in a spoken sequence. From a sequence recognized in the spoken speech, a model of the speech is created. By comparing the spoken sequence with the modeled speech, a difference between them is obtained.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,384,721 describes a method and apparatus for physiological response analysis.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,855,416 to Fuller describes a method and apparatus for phonation analysis leading to valid truth/lie decisions by fundamental speech-energy weighted vibratto component assessment.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,855,417 to Fuller describes a method and apparatus for phonation analysis lending to valid truth/lie decisions by spectral energy region comparison.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,855,418 to Fuller describes a method and apparatus for phonation analysis lending to valid truth/lie decisions by vibratto component assessment.
The disclosures of all publications mentioned in the specification and of the publications cited therein are hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention seeks to provide improved apparatus and methods for monitoring emotional states.
There is thus provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, apparatus for detecting emotional status of an individual, the apparatus including a voice analyzer operative to input a speech specimen generated by the individual and to derive therefrom intonation information, and an emotion reporter operative to generate an output indication of the individual""s emotional status based on the intonation information.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the speech specimen is provided over the telephone to the voice analyzer.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the report on the individual""s emotional status includes a lie detection report based on the individual""s emotional status.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the intonation information includes multidimensional intonation information.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the multidimensional information includes at least 3-dimensional information.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the multidimensional information includes at least 4-dimensional information.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the intonation information includes information pertaining to thorns.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the information pertaining to thorns includes the number of thorns in a predetermined time period.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the information pertaining to thorns includes the distribution of thorns over time.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the intonation information includes information pertaining to plateaus.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the information pertaining to plateaus includes the number of plateaus in a predetermined time period.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the information pertaining to plateaus includes information pertaining to length of plateaus.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the information pertaining to length of plateaus includes an average plateau length for a predetermined time period.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the information pertaining to length of plateaus includes the standard error of plateau length for a predetermined time period.
Also provided, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, is a lie detection system including a multidimensional voice analyzer operative to input a speech specimen generated by an individual and to quantify a plurality of characteristics of the speech specimen, and a credibility evaluator reporter operative to generate an output indication of the individual""s credibility, including detection of lies, based on the plurality of quantified characteristics.
Additionally provided, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, is a detection method including receiving a speech specimen generated by an individual and quantifying a plurality of characteristics of the speech specimen, and generating an output indication of the individual""s credibility, including detection of lies, based on the plurality of quantified characteristics.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the speech specimen includes a main speech wave having a period and wherein the voice analyzer is operative to analyze the speech specimen in order to determine rate of occurrence of plateaus, each plateau indicating that a local relatively low-frequency wave is superimposed onto the main speech wave, and the emotion reporter is operative to provide a suitable output indication based on the rate of occurrence of plateaus. For example, the emotion reporter may provide a suitable output indication when the rate of occurrence of plateaus is found to change.
Similarly, each thorn indicates that a local relatively high-frequency wave is superimposed onto the main speech wave. A particular advantage of analyzing plateaus and thorns as shown and described herein is that substantially all frequencies of the speech wave may be analyzed.
Also provided, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, is a method for detecting emotional status and including establishing a multidimensional characteristic range characterizing an individual""s range of emotion when at rest by monitoring the individual for a plurality of emotion-related parameters, over a first period during which the individual is in an emotionally neutral state, and defining the multi-dimensional characteristic range as a function of the range of the plurality of emotion-related parameters during the first period, and monitoring the individual for the plurality of emotion-related parameters, over a second period during which it is desired to detect the individual""s emotional status, thereby to obtain a measurement of the plurality of emotion-related parameters, and adjusting the measurement to take into account the range.
Also provided, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, is a method for detecting emotional status of an individual, the method including receiving a speech specimen generated by the individual and deriving therefrom intonation information, and generating an output indication of the individual""s emotional status based on the intonation information.